Innovative Financing Mechanisms for Global Health: Overview & Considerations for U.S. Government Participation

Defines, classifies, and inventories innovative financing mechanisms for global health such as front-loading funds, public-private research partnerships, and performance incentives. Examines U.S. government involvement and policy considerations

Would banning firearms reduce murder and suicide? A review of international evidence

The world abounds in instruments with which people can kill each other. Is the widespread availability of one of these instruments, firearms, a crucial determinant of the incidence of murder? Or do patterns of murder and/or violent crime reflect basic socio-economic and/or cultural factors to which the mere availability of one particular form of weaponry is irrelevant? This article examines a broad range of international data that bear on the question whether widespread firearm access is an important contributing factor in murder and/or suicide. Our conclusion from the available data is that suicide, murder and violent crime rates are determined by basic social, economic and/or cultural factors with the availability of any particular one of the world's myriad deadly instrument being irrelevant

U.S. Global Health Policy: Donor Funding for Health in Low- & Middle- Income Countries, 2001-2007

Compares 2001 and 2007 data on overseas development assistance from member states of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and examines trends by donor, region, and sector, with a focus on health and its subsectors

Treatment-Related Decisional Conflict, Quality of Life, and Comorbid Illness in Older Adults with Cancer

As the aging population in the nation increases, cancer diagnoses in this age group will also increase. The many chronic medical conditions associated with older adults are confounded by a diagnosis of cancer. Older adults with cancer are at risk for physical, psychological, and functional decline as a result of not only the cancer, but also the cancer treatment. In their current research agenda, the Oncology Nursing Society identified the need for research related to multiple comorbidities in older adults with cancer. This study utilized a cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study design to explore the relationships between and among treatment-related decisional conflict, quality of life, and comorbidity in older adults with cancer. Oncology nurses recruited a sample size of 200 for this study from outpatient medical oncology, radiation oncology, and palliative care practices. Using an anonymous survey method, participants completed three psychometrically-sound instruments, including the Decisional Conflict Scale, Self-Administered Comorbidity Questionnaire, and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire. Bivariate relationships existed between increased levels of decisional conflict and increased quality of life (p = .009) and quality of life and comorbidity (p = .001). All six regression models achieved significance (p \u3c .001). Statistically significant relationships were identified in each of the six regression models. Positive relationships existed between decisional conflict and financial problems, physical function, and global health status/quality of life. Increased emotional function may be predictive of decreased decisional conflict in all of the regression models. Other negative relationships existed between decisional conflict and cognitive function, diarrhea, spiritual support, insomnia, year diagnosed, fatigue, and nausea/vomiting. With their focus on patient-centered care, oncology nurses are a crucial component of the multidisciplinary cancer team that can empower older cancer patients to communicate their values and preferences regarding cancer treatment. Additionally, this study underscores the importance of oncology nurses being prepared to provide high-quality care to geriatric patients with multiple comorbidities. Given the paucity of research on the impact of cancer and its treatment on older adults, there are no published studies that address all of these variables. In light of the regression analyses, further research is needed with regard to emotional function, spiritual support, and symptom management in the setting of decision making in older adults with cancer. Poster presented at: Oncology Nursing Society 42nd Annual Congress in Denver, COhttps://jdc.jefferson.edu/nursingposters/1007/thumbnail.jp

Financing the Response to AIDS in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: International Assistance From the G8, European Commission and Other Donor Governments, 2008

Summarizes 2008 data on international AIDS assistance from donor governments. Presents trends by donor country, by funding channel, on aid as percentages of GDP, and on the gaps between needs and resources and between commitments and disbursements

Pharmacologic counter measures minimizing post-space flight orthostatic intolerance

The effect of bed rest on drug disposition and physiological function was investigated as part of a project to determine the cardiovascular effects of space flight. One group of subjects was given doses of lidocane, penicillin-G, and ICG during a control period and following seven days of bed rest. Cardiac function was evaluated by echo-cardiography. Renal function was evaluated in a second group before and after several days of bed rest. Inulin, para-aminohippurate, and dextran clearances were studied. In the first group, the post-bed rest parameters were not statistically different from the pre-bed rest valves. In the second study, renal function did not change significantly after seven days of bed rest. Plans for future research are reviewed

Financing the Response to AIDS in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: International Assistance From the G8, European Commission and Other Donor Governments, 2007

Summarizes 2007 data on international AIDS assistance for low- and middle-income nations provided by donor governments. Presents trends by donor country, by funding channel, on aid as percentages of GDP, and on the gap between needs and resources

Hydrodynamical simulations of galaxy properties: Environmental effects

Using N-body+hydro simulations we study relations between the local environments of galaxies on 0.5 Mpc scale and properties of the luminous components of galaxies. Our numerical simulations include effects of star formation and supernova feedback in different cosmological scenarios: the standard Cold Dark Matter model, the Broken Scale Invariance model (BSI), and a model with cosmological constant (LCDM). In this paper, we concentrate on the effects of environment on colors and morphologies of galaxies, on the star formation rate and on the relation between the total luminosity of a galaxy and its circular velocity. We demonstrate a statistically significant theoretical relationship between morphology and environment. In particular, there is a strong tendency for high-mass galaxies and for elliptical galaxies to form in denser environments, in agreement with observations. We find that in models with denser environments (CDM scenario) ~ 13 % of the galactic halos can be identified as field ellipticals, according to their colors. In simulations with less clustering (BSI and LCDM), the fraction of ellipticals is considerably lower (~ 2-3 %). The strong sensitivity of morphological type to environment is rather remarkable because our results are applicable to ``field'' galaxies and small groups. If all galaxies in our simulations are included, we find a statistically significant dependence of the galaxy luminosity - circular velocity relation on dark matter overdensity within spheres of radius 0.5 Mpc, for the CDM simulations. But if we remove ``elliptical'' galaxies from our analysis to mimic the Tully-Fisher relation for spirals, then no dependence is found in any model.Comment: 44 pages, 21 figures (17 included). Submitted to New Astronomy. GIFF color plots and the complete paper in Postscript (including color figures) can be found at http://astrosg.ft.uam.es/~gustavo/newas